6 Nations Squad Profiles: Forwards

MARCUS HORAN (SHANNON/MUNSTER)

Date of Birth: 7 September 1977

Height: 185cm (6ft 1in)

Weight: 105kg (16st 7lbs)

Position: Prop

Debut: v USA, June 2000

Caps: 33

Points: 20

Tries: 4

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 3 (v New Zealand, Australia, Romania); Points: 5; Tries: 1 (v New Zealand)

Munster: Games Played: 15; Points: 20; Tries: 4

…Saturday is Horan’s 4th Test against Italy…Has had a good run in the side of late, playing in 16 of Ireland’s last 17 Tests before this weekend…The Italian game is his 6th consecutive cap and first start in the 6 Nations since March 2003 (v England)…Was a Munster Schools prop in 1996, made his senior provincial debut in 1998 and stepped up to the Ireland side in June 2000 against the USA…Played 13 times for Ireland ‘A’ before earning his second Senior cap against Fiji in 2002…Has won two All-Ireland League titles with Shannon…Scored his 4th Test try against New Zealand last November…

REGGIE CORRIGAN (GREYSTONES/LEINSTER)

Date of Birth: 19 November 1970

Height: 188cm (6ft 2ins)

Weight: 115kg (18st)

Position: Prop

Debut: v Canada, November 1997

Caps: 46

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: –

Leinster: Games Played: 15

…Failed to make the 22 for the Italian game, losing out to Marcus Horan on the loosehead side…Capped twice as a replacement against Japan last summer, but failed to earn a call-up for the autumn internationals…Has enjoyed a steady run in the side – starting all 10 of Ireland’s games during the 2004 and 2005 6 Nations Championships as well as 4 Tests at the 2003 World Cup…Captained Ireland against Tonga and Samoa on tour in June 2003…Has yet to score for his country…A Leinster stalwart, he made his senior provincial debut in August 1997, three months before his Ireland debut against Canada…This season Corrigan became the third Leinster player to reach 100 caps…The Greystones club’s most capped Ireland player, 34 of Corrigan’s Ireland caps have come as a loosehead, 6 as a tighthead and 6 as a replacement…

JERRY FLANNERY (SHANNON/MUNSTER)

Date of Birth: 17 October 1978

Height: 180cm (5ft 11ins)

Weight: 102kg (16st)

Position: Hooker

Debut: v Romania, November 2005

Caps: 1

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 1 (v Romania (sub))

Munster: Games Played: 15; Points: 15; Tries: 3

…Saturday is Flannery’s first start for Ireland, first game against Italy and 6 Nations debut…The form hooker, he has replaced Shane Byrne and Frankie Sheahan (neck ligaments) in the squad thanks to his displays for Munster this season…Made his debut against Romania last November as a second half replacement…Played for Ireland at Under-21 and Student levels…Moved to Connacht from 2001 to 2003 before returning to figure as deputy to Sheahan at Munster…Is a son of Limerick publican Jerry Flannery Snr, who runs Flannery’s bar in Catherine Street…

RORY BEST (BELFAST HARLEQUINS/ULSTER)

Date of Birth: 15 August 1982

Height: 180cm (5ft 11in)

Weight: 105kg (16st 7lbs)

Position: Hooker

Debut: v New Zealand, November 2005

Caps: 2

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 3 (v New Zealand (sub), Australia (sub))

Ulster: Games Played: 15; Points: 15; Tries: 3

…If he plays, Saturday’s clash will be Best’s first outing against Italy and first involvement in a 6 Nations tournament…Has impressed in the Heineken Cup for Ulster this season, scoring 2 tries in 5 pool games…Earned his first Ireland caps as a replacement against New Zealand and Australia last November…In his second season with Ulster, he is a younger brother of Ulster captain and Ireland prop Simon Best…was a member of the Irish squad at the 2003 Under-21 World Cup…

SHANE BYRNE (SARACENS)

Date of Birth: 18 July 1971

Height: 178cm (5ft 10ins)

Weight: 98kg (15st 6lbs)

Position: Hooker

Debut: v Romania, June 2001

Caps: 41

Lions Test Caps: 3

Points: 15

Tries: 3

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 3 (v New Zealand, Australia, Romania)

Saracens: Games Played: 17

…Has been forced out of the Ireland 22 despite starting all three of the autumn internationals and two of the Lions’ three Tests against New Zealand last summer…Finished as Ireland’s second highest try scorer (2 tries v Wales) in the 2004 6 Nations – Ireland’s Triple Crown-winning season…Came into the Irish squad for the 1994 tour to Australia but did not earn his first cap until June 2001 against Romania…Emerged as first choice after Keith Wood’s retirement in November 2003…Nicknamed ‘Mullet’, Byrne made the switch from his long-time province Leinster to London club Saracens last summer…Scored a try against Italy in a Thomond Park friendly in August 2003…

JOHN HAYES (BRUFF/MUNSTER)

Date of Birth: 2 November 1973

Height: 193cm (6ft 4ins)

Weight: 121kg (19st)

Position: Prop

Debut: v Scotland, February 2000

Caps: 57

Points: 10

Tries: 2

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 3 (v New Zealand, Australia, Romania (sub))

Munster: Games Played: 12

…Saturday is Hayes’ 7th Test against Italy – he equals Phil Orr’s record as Ireland’s most capped prop (58 caps) – Hayes’ former Munster team mate Peter Clohessy finished his career on 54…Toured New Zealand with the Lions but failed to gain Test recognition…his first 34 caps came in the space of 35 Tests – “The Bull” was rested for the Ireland v USA game in June 2000…Like four other players in the current set-up, Hayes made his debut against Scotland in February 2000…Scored Test tries against Romania (September 2002) and Scotland (February 2005)…Had a run of 20 consecutive appearances in the Ireland front row until the end of the 2005 6 Nations…Started playing rugby as an 18-year-old with Limerick club Bruff…Won an All-Ireland League title with Shannon in 1995, then moved to New Zealand to play for Invercargill for two seasons and returned for a second AIL win with Shannon in ’98…Played in Heineken Cup finals for Munster in 2000 and 2002…

SIMON BEST (BELFAST HARLEQUINS/ULSTER)

Date of Birth: 11 February 1978

Height: 185cm (6ft 1in)

Weight: 112kg (17st 8lbs)

Position: Prop

Debut: v Tonga, June 2003

Caps: 10

Points: 5

Tries: 1

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 2 (v New Zealand (sub), Romania)

Ulster: Games Played: 15; Points: 5; Tries: 1

…4 of his caps have come in the last 5 of Ireland’s Tests (Best sat on the bench v Australia last November)…If he plays, this will be his 1st Test against Italy…Educated at Portadown College, Best is a brother of Ulster and Ireland hooker Rory…Started both Tests against Japan last summer, scoring his 1st international try in the first game…Played for Ireland at all junior levels, then stepped up to ‘A’ level in 2001, before getting a Senior call-up in 2003…Is in his first season as Ulster captain, having taken over from retired Ulster and Ireland flanker Andy Ward…

MALCOLM O’KELLY (ST. MARY’S COLLEGE/LEINSTER)

Date of Birth: 19 July 1974

Height: 203cm (6ft 8ins)

Weight: 114kg (17st 12lbs)

Position: Second Row

Debut: v New Zealand, November 1997

Caps: 75

Points: 35

Tries: 7

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 2 (v New Zealand, Australia)

Leinster: Games Played: 9

…Ireland’s record caps holder with 75 caps…Saturday will be his 8th Test against the Italians – he scored a try in the 2004 win (19-3) for Ireland at Lansdowne Road…Beat Mike Gibson’s previous record caps tally of 69 v Scotland in February 2005, and celebrated by scoring his 7th Test try…Played in 23 of Ireland’s last 25 Tests until the end of the 2005 6 Nations – he missed the Japan tour due to Lions duty, but O’Kelly was forced home from New Zealand early on with a groin injury…Has scored 3 tries in the 6 Nations – v Scotland (2000, 2005) and v Italy (2004)…Born in Chelmsford, Essex but educated in Ireland, O’Kelly holds a Masters degree in Mathematics from Trinity College…Was a Lions tourist in Australia in 2001…Signed a new contract last month to keep him playing in Ireland with Leinster until the end of the 2007/08 season…

PAUL O’CONNELL (YOUNG MUNSTER/MUNSTER)

Date of Birth: 20 October 1979

Height: 196cm (6ft 5ins)

Weight: 110kg (17st 5lbs)

Position: Second Row

Debut: v Wales, February 2002

Caps: 29

Lions Test Caps: 3

Points: 20

Tries: 4

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: –

Munster: Games Played: 6; Points: 20; Tries: 4

…This is O’Connell’s 3rd Test against Italy, and his first outing in an Irish jersey since last March…He was sidelined for the autumn internationals due to a thumb and hand injury…In impressive form since returning – has taken his try tally to 4 in 6 games this season…Scored 2 tries in 2 Heineken Cup games since his comeback…Won 25 caps in the last 27 Tests for Ireland until the end of the 2005 6 Nations, then toured New Zealand with the Lions, starting all 3 Tests…With Brian O’Driscoll injured (hamstring), O’Connell captained Ireland v France (2004) and Scotland (2005)…Scored a try on his Test debut v Wales (2002) – Eddie O’Sullivan’s first game in charge of Ireland…A talented golfer (plays off 4), O’Connell cemented his position in the Irish side by playing in all 5 games at the 2003 World Cup…Made his Munster debut in 1999, played in the 2002 Heineken Cup final…Capped by Ireland Development XV and ‘A’ team previously…

DONNCHA O’CALLAGHAN (CORK CONSTITUTION/MUNSTER)

Date of Birth: 23 March 1979

Height: 198cm (6ft 6ins)

Weight: 110kg (17st 3lbs)

Position: Second Row

Debut: v Wales, March 2003

Caps: 19

Lions Test Caps: 2

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 3 (v New Zealand, Australia, Romania)

Munster: Games Played: 14; Points: 5; Tries: 1

…If he plays, this will be O’Callaghan’s 4th Test v Italy…He made the most of his Munster team mate Paul O’Connell’s hand injury to start all three autumn internationals…13 of his caps have come as a replacement – 6 starts to date…Earned 2 Lions Test caps in the 2nd and 3rd Tests against New Zealand last summer…Has progressed to the Ireland side via the Under-19s (won FIRA World Youth Championship in 1998), Under-21s an ‘A’ Team…Came into the extended Ireland 6 Nations squad in 2003 after Gary Longwell tore a hamstring v France…O’Callaghan made his Test debut against Wales that March…One of four players from the Cork Constitution club to play v Australia last November…

MICK O’DRISCOLL (CORK CONSTITUTION/MUNSTER)

Date of Birth: 8 October 1978

Height: 195cm (6ft 5ins)

Weight: 111kg (17st 7lbs)

Position: Second Row

Debut: v Romania, June 2001

Caps: 3

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 1 (v Romania (sub))

Munster: Games Played: 17; Tries: 1

…Recalled into the Ireland squad for the autumn internationals, O’Driscoll earned his 3rd cap as a replacement v Romania…Made his Test debut against the eastern Europeans in June 2001 – second cap v Fiji (November 2002) also as a replacement…Has shown solid form for Munster since his return home from French club Perpignan last summer…Scored a try in Munster’s Heineken Cup pool defeat of Newport-Gwent Dragons before Christmas…Has made the most of an injury to first choice lock Paul O’Connell to play in 17 games for Munster so far this season…

SIMON EASTERBY (LLANELLI SCARLETS)

Date of Birth: 21 July 1975

Height: 191cm (6ft 3ins)

Weight: 106kg (16st 7lbs)

Position: Flanker

Debut: v Scotland, February 2000

Caps: 44

Lions Test Caps: 2

Points: 20

Tries: 4

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 2 (v New Zealand (captain), Australia (captain))

Llanelli Scarlets: Games Played: 12

…Saturday v Italy is his 6th Test against the Azzurri…Easterby took over as Ireland captain from the injured Brian O’Driscoll for the autumn internationals v New Zealand and Australia…Won 20 consecutive caps before missing the 2005 summer tour to Japan due to his late call-up to the Lions squad for injury victim Lawrence Dallaglio…Played in the 2nd and 3rd Lions Tests v New Zealand (scoring a try in the 2nd Test)…Played for hometown Harrogate, then Leeds Tykes and was eligible for England, but then had a spell with Sydney University before joining Llanelli in 1999…One of five players in the squad to make their Ireland debuts v Scotland in 2000…Originally played for the Irish Exiles in the early part of his career with older brother Guy, who has failed to make the squad for the Italian game…

JOHNNY O’CONNOR (LONDON WASPS)

Date of Birth: 9 February 1980

Height: 180cm (5ft 11ins)

Weight: 96kg (14st 4lbs)

Position: Flanker

Debut: v South Africa, November 2004

Caps: 10

Points: 5

Tries: 1

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 3 (v New Zealand, Australia, Romania); Points: 5; Tries: 1 (v Romania)

London Wasps: Games Played: 15; Points: 10; Tries: 2

…If he plays, this will be O’Connor’s 1st Test v Italy…Has started in 10 of Ireland’s last 13 Tests, including the two games against Japan last summer and the three autumn internationals…Scored his 1st Test try in the win against Romania last November…Joined Wasps from Connacht in 2003 after a recommendation from the London club’s England back row Lawrence Dallaglio…Nicknamed “Johnny O’Concrete” because of his combative nature…Was part of the Wasps squad that won the English Championship and the Heineken Cup in 2004…Has played for Ireland at Under-19, Under-21, Under-23 and ‘A’ levels…Made his ‘A’ team debut v Italy in February 2001…

DAVID WALLACE (GARRYOWEN/MUNSTER)

Date of Birth: 8 July 1976

Height: 188cm (6ft 2ins)

Weight: 103kg (16st 2lbs)

Position: Flanker/Number 8

Debut: v Argentina, June 2000

Caps: 22

Points: 20

Tries: 4

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: –

Munster: Games Played: 15; Points: 10; Tries: 2

…Has earned a recall to the Ireland side after some barnstorming displays for Munster in the Heineken Cup – scored the late try (v Sale) that guaranteed the province a home quarter-final date…Saturday v Italy will be Wallace’s 3rd Test against the Azzurri…Last cap v Japan last June – his previous one came v South Africa in June 2004 – missed a year owing to injury…Cap v Japan was his only one in the last 13 internationals for Ireland…Game v Italy is his first 6 Nations outing since the Triple Crown win against Scotland in March 2004…Wallace was a Lions tourist in Australia in 2001 – his elder brothers, Richard and Paul are former Lions and Ireland internationals…Made the Ireland Development tour in 1997, then earned Under-21 and ‘A’ caps, was called up for the Senior tour to South Africa in 1999 – failed to play – but earned 1st cap v Argentina on the 2000 summer tour…Has scored 4 Test tries – v Wales (2003), v Scotland (2003, 2004) and in the second Test v Japan (2005)…

NEIL BEST (BELFAST HARLEQUINS/ULSTER)

Date of Birth: 3 April 1979

Height: 188cm (6ft 2ins)

Weight: 99kg (15st 7lbs)

Position: Flanker

Debut: v New Zealand, November 2005

Caps: 2

Points: 5

Tries: 1

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 2 (v New Zealand (sub), Romania); Points: 5; Tries: 1 (v Romania)

Ulster: Games Played: 17; Points: 35; Tries: 7

…His good form for Ulster – 3 tries in the Heineken Cup and 4 in the Celtic League to date this season – saw Best included for the autumn internationals…Made his Senior debut as a replacement v New Zealand last November…Is in his fourth season with Ulster – unrelated to namesake prop Simon and hooker Rory…Educated at Wellington College, Best was a relative late comer to rugby, starting his career with Malone RFC…Scored his 1st Test try for Ireland v Romania…

SHANE JENNINGS (LEICESTER TIGERS)

Date of Birth: 8 July 1981

Height: 183cm (6ft)

Weight: 102kg (16st)

Position: Flanker

Debut: –

Caps: –

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: –

Leicester Tigers: Games Played: 17; Points: 15; Tries: 3

…Joined former Heineken Cup champions Leicester Tigers from Leinster last summer…His last appearance for the province was appropriately against Leicester in the 2005 Heineken Cup quarter-finals…Made his Leinster debut against Glasgow in the Celtic League in September 2002…Captained Leinster in a handful of Celtic League games until his departure…Represented Ireland at Schools, Under-19 and Under-21 level and was part of the Ireland ‘A’ team that beat France ‘A’ 15-9 at Donnybrook last March…Called into the extended Irish squad for 6 Nations training last month…

DENIS LEAMY (CORK CONSTITUTION/MUNSTER)

Date of Birth: 27 November 1981

Height: 187cm (6ft 1in)

Weight: 108kg (17st)

Position: Flanker/Number 8

Debut: v USA, November 2004

Caps: 6

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: 3 (v New Zealand, Australia, Romania)

Munster: Games Played: 15; Points: 15; Tries: 3

…Saturday’s game is Leamy’s 2nd Test v Italy…It is his 4th Test as a number 8 after his role at the base of the Irish scrum for the three autumn internationals…Has started in each of the back row positions for Ireland…Has played as a centre, a flanker and number 8 in his Munster career…Earned his first Senior call-up for the 2004 autumn Tests – gained his 1st cap v USA that November, played against Italy in last season’s 6 Nations opener, being preferred to the smaller Johnny O’Connor at openside…Injury then saw him sidelined…Returned for the tour to Japan – started the second Test…Capped as Ireland Schools and Under-21 levels…Now a regular in the Munster back row – debut in August 2001 – with over 50 caps…

ANTHONY FOLEY (SHANNON/MUNSTER)

Date of Birth: 30 October 1973

Height: 190cm (6ft 3in)

Weight: 111kg (17st 7lbs)

Position: Number 8

Debut: v England, January 1995

Caps: 62

Points: 25

Tries: 5

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: –

Munster: Games Played: 16; Points: 15; Tries: 3

…Has been omitted from the Ireland 22 for the Italian game despite some good form for Munster – 2 tries in 6 Heineken Cup pool games…The longest serving member of the current Irish set-up, Foley made his Test debut against England over 11 years ago…Foley’s last cap was against Wales last March…He has an incredible record in the 6 Nations – he started every one of Ireland’s games in the 6 Nations Championships of 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005…Was also ever present for the 2000 6 Nations…Is the Heineken Cup’s most capped player (72)…Son of former Ireland international Brendan Foley and brother of current Ireland Women’s forward Rosie Foley…Nicknamed “Axel”, Foley represented Ireland Schools on the 1992 tour to New Zealand…Also capped at Under-21 level…Captained the Ireland Senior side against Samoa (2001), and Romania and Georgia (2002)…Played one game (v Japan) at the 1995 World Cup and twice (v Romania and Australia) at the 2003 World Cup…

JAMIE HEASLIP (CLONTARF/LEINSTER)

Date of Birth: 15 December 1983

Height: 191cm (6ft 3ins)

Weight: 112kg (17st 8lbs)

Position: Number 8

Debut: –

Caps: –

2005/06 Form: Ireland: Games Played: –

Leinster: Games Played: 16; Points: 10; Tries: 2

…Heaslip forced his way into the Ireland training squad for the autumn internationals and 6 Nations…Has flourished as Leinster’s first choice number 8 under new coach Michael Cheika…Made his Leinster debut against the Ospreys in the Celtic League last March…Gained 5 caps with the Ireland Under-19s and 11 with the Under-21s…Famously part of the Irish side that made it to the Under-21 World Cup final in Scotland in the summer of 2004 – Ireland lost the decider to New Zealand but Heaslip earned a nomination for IRB World Under-21 Player of the Year after some towering displays…Transferred from Dublin University to Clontarf last summer…Started playing rugby as an 8-year-old with Naas RFC…

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**All photos by Lorraine O’Sullivan of Inpho Photography**